Early notes from Breeders' Cup Friday

O’Neill wins third: Trainer Doug O’Neill teamed with his Kentucky Derby- and Preankess-winning connections of owners Paul and Zillah Reddam and jockey Mario Gutierrez to win the third race with Basmati, who paid a whopping $17.60.

O’Neill’s South Floyd joined Super Ninety Nine as a scratch before the BC Juvenile Sprint. South Floyd was scratched at the gate when the track veterinarian ruled he had a sore left front leg.

Hightail was the long-shot winner of the BC Juvenile Sprint, giving D. Wayne Lukas his 19th Breeders’ Cup victory and first since 2005, making him the oldest trainer at 78 years old to win a Breeders’ Cup race. The previous oldest was Philip G. Johnson, who was 77 when he won with Volponi in 2002. Hightail is owned by Bluegrass Hall LLC. Favorite Merit Man was second by a nose. Hightail ran the 6 furlongs in 1:09.75.

Hightail, ridden by Rajiv Maragh, who picked up his second BC win, survived an inquiry in the race when it appeared that Hightail drifted off the rail into Merit Man, who was ridden by Patrick Valenzuela. The stewards ruled there was no foul, so there were no changes. Hightail paid $32.80, $7.20 and $3.40. Hightail is the 2-year-old son of Mineshaft out of Stormy Renee. Hightail was making his ninth start and earned $270, 000. He had only earned $39,000 going in.

“At my age, it’s really significant,” Lukas said. “I don’t know if we can get much more. I still have the passion for it. The owner, Brad Kelly, wants to run in these. He’s a great owner who loves to enter these big races.”

Lukas said winning BC races never gets old.

“I have my grandson from the Air Force Academy here with me, and it’s just special,” Lukas said. “It will be that way all day long. It is the Breeders’ Cup and it is the Championship series. You beat the best on that day.”

Asked if this win will keep him training 10 more years, Lukas said: “I’m not going to retire. I’ll ride out there and fall off the pony and let them harrow me over,” Lukas said.

Asked if Hightail could be seen at the Kentucky Derby, Lukas said: “We all live the dream. Other than these Breeders’ Cup races, that is the one I still cherish. I hope there’s one of those left, too. We’ll look at this horse seriously. A friend, John McCaty, at Little Rock, Ark., bought him. We’ll stretch him to 1¼ miles. He has the pedigree and tactical speed. He’s a big, strong horse and he’s sound. Hell, we’ll nominate him you know that.”

Argentinians chanted and waved the Argentinian flag in the winner’s circle as the connections chanted songs and celebrated the huge win. Calidoscopio became the oldest horse to win a BC race. The previous oldest winner was Cardmania, who won the 1993 Sprint as a 7-year-old. Two other 7-year-olds, Miesque’s Approval in the 2006 Mile and Elmhurst in the 1997 Sprint, also won. Ridden by Aaron Gryder, who won his first BC race. He said Frankel told him he could close his eyes and ride Calidoscopio, who covered the 1¾ miles in 2:57.25.